Sengoku Jidai in September
by Silent Scribe
Summary: Just when they thought their adventures with the magic tree house were over, Jack and Annie are set on a new quest...to Inuyasha's era! Technically a crossover, but who can resist this odd combo of a beloved children's series and shonen manga. CH 10 up!
1. A New Adventure

_A/N: Because I came across one of my Mary Pope Osborne_ _books and went, "Awww…" If you haven't read_ The Magic Treehouse _series you are either a cruel parent or have never had a childhood._

_--_

**A New Adventure**

The sky was still purple and the stars were still out when Jack was dragged out of his warm bed. "It's the first day of school," he complained. "No one gets up this early for it. Ever."

"We'll have time for school, too! But first, let's go!" Little hands roughly shook him awake.

Too sleepy to argue, Jack stumbled after his sibling. She'd be more annoying if he just ignored her.

"This way!" Annie called over her shoulder as they tramped through the forest's undergrowth. The woods was just a short walk from home, but it already felt like miles to her brother.

Jack groaned, still shrugging on his jacket and rubbing out the sleep sand from under his glasses. His little sister really had lost it now. It had been a year since Morgan deemed them Master Librarians and twelve long months since she'd left them. The tree house wasn't magic any more. It just had books, plain old books that didn't take you anywhere real no matter how much you used your imagination.

"Hurry up, Jack!"

He sighed.

Annie still visited the tree house regularly; just last week her brother had learned the word for the behavior: denial. He was in the fourth grade now, he didn't have time for kiddy games or playing make-believe. This was his reason for not going to the tree house anymore. He wasn't a little kid anymore like Annie.

"Well, maybe I just like reading," she had responded confidently. Jack knew better. Sometimes, when he'd pass by the tree house, he could see her pointing uselessly at the books' pages, probably still pleading "I wish I could go there."

"How's this time going to be any different?"

Annie whirled around so fast Jack staggered backwards trying not to bump into her. "I know it will be," she announced, hands on hips. Digging into her jeans' pocket, she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and waved it in Jack's face. "We've got a new assignment." Drawing in a quick breath, Annie read:

_"Find a small treasure._

_ Men seek it, demons fight it. _

_Its strength conquers all."_

"That one didn't even rhyme," Jack mumbled.

"That's because it's a haiku! It doesn't have to!" Annie retorted.

"How do I know you didn't write that yourself?"

Annie twirled away, yellow braids whipping angrily, and took the last steps to the tree house's rope ladder. "Do what you want. The book was already open and I thought I'd share it."

Jack scuffed his shoes in the dirt, suddenly feeling guilty. He quickly climbed on the ladder after his sister. "Hey, I was just asking!"

He scrambled aboard just in time to see his sister plop a huge red book on her lap, its pages already wide open. Annie pointed at the picture of an old well and the strange dog-eared boy with silver hair who stood beside it. "I wish we could go there."

Jack started to whisper a "yeah right," but the words caught in his throat.

The wind started to blow.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

--

_A/N: Can't say how honored I am to write those immemorable five lines. So enjoy the trip down memory lane and I'll update soon._


	2. More Time Travelers

_A/N: I'm trying to keep the writing simple, not just for quick updates, but also to mimic the original style of the_ Magic Tree House_ series for younger readers. Though it's going to be tough watching Inuyasha's mouth. _;)

--

**More Time Travelers**

Jack rubbed his head and groaned when he saw that the tree house was nowhere in sight. "Well, it looks like it worked. Now what?"

"Shh!" Annie turned around with a finger to her lips. "Look at him!"

"How can you tell it's a him?" Jack whispered back.

"Shh! I don't want to scare him."

The _him_ was the odd-looking boy they'd seen in the picture just before the tree house transported them. Suddenly Jack noticed the worn-out hilt of a sword at the stranger's side. He doubted this was the kind of person who got scared easily. Also, in real life, that boy they'd seen in the picture suddenly looked older, much older than Jack. He must have been a teenager.

"Maybe we should greet him."

"No!" Jack hissed. "He could be trouble. Don't you see that sword?"

"We've met nice warriors before." Then Annie realized that didn't need to run up to him. He was already marching right toward her.

"Who the heck are you brats?" The older boy blinked strange golden eyes that reminded Annie of a little dog she had once found. His hair was even white like fur.

"Hi!" Annie piped and introduced herself and her brother. "Who are you? We're on a mission here. See the directions written on the paper? Can you help us?"

The ears on atop the boy's head flattened to the sides, just like a real dog's. "Name's Inuyasha and – hey! One thing at a time!" Inuyasha backed up a bit as Annie stuffed the haiku into his hands. "Jeez, you remind me of another twerp I know. Calm down!"

"Sorry, but this is so exciting!" Annie bubbled. Behind her, Jack shuffled closer. This new guy was staring at them awful hard. What was his problem? And what kind of person had dog ears in the first place?

"How did you kids get here, anyway?" Inuyasha arched an eyebrow.

"Magic," Annie said, smiling. Then she added, "We have a tree house that takes us places and then we have to find something wherever we go and bring it back. Last time – "

"Okay! Okay!" Inuyasha's hands flew up, almost to stop the stream of the little girl's chatter. "If it ain't one thing, it's another," he grumbled. "So you're sayin' that if you find whatever you need here, you can leave?"

"Yes, that's right!" Jack quickly interrupted. "Then we can leave." He said the last two words glaring at his sister. Only she wasn't paying attention.

The well that Inuyasha had been standing over earlier suddenly erupted with a dazzling light. A young teenage girl in what looked like a school uniform climbed out, struggling with a huge yellow backpack.

"Wow!" Annie grinned. "Do you get time travelers around here a lot?"

Jack noticed how Inuyasha groaned and rubbed his hand behind his neck, gold-yellow eyes rolling up. This was going to be a long adventure.


	3. Magic Words

_A/N: Still working on getting regular updates. Thanks for bearing with me__._

_--_

**Magic Words**

Like always, Annie didn't wait for introductions. She made them herself.

After hearing their story, the older girl smiled sweetly and said, "My name's Kagome and it seems you've already met Inuyasha."

"Yeah! So can you help us with this message?" She handed the slip with its mysterious haiku up to Kagome, then leaned in to whisper, "I don't think Inuyasha can read."

"Hey, brat!" Inuyasha barked from where he was standing some feet away with Jack. "I can hear that!"

Jack gazed up at Inuyasha's dog ears, wondering if that had to do with his good hearing. "What are you?"

"What's the matter, kid? Never seen a dog-demon before?" He seemed proud when he said it.

"Half-demon," Kagome corrected – the comment made Inuyasha scowl. "Besides," she continued, "You can't expect them to know any better; they're modern kids."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Annie apologized, speaking in a normal voice now that she knew the half-demon could hear her. "So can you read?"

"Probably not," Jack answered, tilting his head curiously. "I would guess the education in this era isn't very high."

Suddenly, Jack lurched at a swift hit to his head. It made him buck forward, but the pain was quick and settled to a warm throb. It still left him groaning and wishing for home.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. "That's no way to treat new people who have never even been here before!"

"Well, he asked for –"

Kagome's face turned red like she was about to explode. "SIT!"

Annie looked up just in time to see Inuyasha's beaded necklace flash bright purple. Half a second later, the dog-boy slammed face first into the dirt.

Both she and Jack mouthed a silent "wow."

"So," Kagome turned to them, all smiles again, "let's get you over to the village. I'm sure _all the friendly people will be glad to welcome you._" She emphasized the last words over Inuyasha. When she saw Annie trailed a bit to see if he was all right, she added, "He'll catch up soon." Inuyasha grumbled around a mouthful of soil as Kagome grabbed her enormous yellow backpack. "Come on, let's go."

Jack and Annie didn't argue. If the canine Inuyasha was strange, then Kagome was definitely no ordinary girl. Maybe she was also an enchantress. It was a good start to their travels, Jack and Annie thought.

When Inuyasha was beside them again he let out a stream of words Jack's father used when he was fixing the car. Annie winced and Kagome ordered _sit_ again. This time the earth shook.

Jack sighed. Definitely an enchantress. Maybe a good start.


	4. Meeting the Crew

_A/N: Well, I feel much more refreshed after a week's hiatus. On with the show. I promise this will be finished in September. _

_--_

**Meeting the Crew**

_The weirdos just get weirder,_ Jack thought as what looked like an old witch twisted his chin this way and that.

"Hold still Jack," Annie giggled at his discomfort. "She's just trying to get a better look at you."

But under the cold, boney touch, Jack couldn't help squirming. He didn't know what to make of his inspector. The withered woman looked too stern to be the grandma-type and her eye-patch only helped make her look like an unfriendly pirate.

"Aye," the old lady finally said, releasing a very grateful Jack. "This boy is most certainly of another age like you, young Kagome, but he does not bear any spiritual power."

"You mean like the power to make Inuyasha sit?" Annie wondered.

The half-demon flinched at the word, then quickly crossed his arms. "Only Kagome can make me do that."

Kagome tried explaining. "More like fighting off evil demons and monsters."

Annie tilted her head. "And how do you do that?"

"Actually, anyone can do that, too," said another young lady, walking toward them with a huge boomerang strapped to her back. Annie saw that she wore a long green skirt and a beautiful pink and beige blouse. She looked a little older than Kagome. "Hi, I'm Sango."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Annie, this is my brother Jack, and – oh, what a cute little kitty!"

"That's Kirara," Sango laughed as the two-tailed kitten scurried into Annie's open arms.

"I've never seen a cat like that before," Jack observed, pushing up his glasses again. "Is it...a demon?"

"Well, yes, but Kirara's also my friend," Sango beamed.

"So some demons are good?" Annie kept her eyes on Kirara as she scratched the feline's butterscotch stomach.

"Yes, some of them are valuable partners to us," joined a young man in black and purple robes, the rings of his staff jingling at his approach. "Isn't that right, dear Sango?"

"And some of them are just plain irritating," she retorted. "Eh, lord monk?"

"That's Miroku, a Buddhist monk and our friend," Kagome said, keeping the children close and somewhat blocking their view of Sango and Miroku.

"Why doesn't Sango just call him by his name?" Jack asked as the pair continued to trade banter in their own little world.

Kagome smiled. "She finds…her own special way of saying things."

Annie caught the look Sango gave Miroku. It was kind her mother used on her and Jack, the one that meant "you better behave yourself or else."

"Hey, Miroku, no goofing off in front of these kids," piped a voice from behind the monk.

"Oh, my –!" Jack started at the sight of giant, pink beach ball with huge eyes and shriveled arms and legs. Suddenly it popped and pint-sized kid with russet hair stood in its place.

"Wow! New people!" the boy said, and what looked like a bushy tail wagged behind him. "My name's Shippo and I'm the proud leader of this band of warri – awk!"

Inuyasha's heel ground into Shippo's back. "You were sayin'? Leader?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome warned.

"Please, let's try to extrude some manners in the company of such impressionable minds." Miroku solemnly placed a hand to his chest.

"You're one to talk," Sango mumbled.

Jack was starting to get fidgety. "So, do you get a lot of demon attacks?"

"Around here?" Inuyasha arched a thick, black brow. "Not with me and my Tetsusaiga." He patted the sword at his side proudly.

"Wow! Will we get to see you in action?" Annie sounded more thrilled than her brother thought healthy.

As if on cue, the ground started to tremble. The shaking grew more violent with every minute; first, rattling pebbles and then shifting the very soil beneath their feet.

"Is this an earthquake?" Jack automatically pulled his sister closer.

"No, but it looks like you kids are gonna get your answer." Inuyasha drew the scruffy-hilted Tetsusaiga at his side and the blade burst into a dazzling display of flame. "We've ourselves a demon to slay!"


	5. Demon Slaying

**Demon Slaying**

The demon was enormous. A fire-red scorpion burst through the trees, its angry stinger spinning in menacing circles and its mismatched lion head snarling dreadfully. Jack and Annie had never seen anything like it. Bigger than even the tallest building in their town, the monster could've easily swallowed a school bus in its hairy, pinching jaws.

"Tch, we've got an easy one today," sighed Shippo. "How boring."

"B-boring?" Jack stuttered in shock, pointing wildly at the scorpion beast. "How can you call that thing boring? And what do you mean today? You get these demons regularly?"

"Well…yeah."

Jack wasn't sure which disturbed him more: that demon or the fact that no one really seemed as shocked out of their mind as he was. Even Annie smiled and nodded with the fox-kid!

Gently, a warm hand clapped over his shoulder. Miroku's face was serious, but his eyes seemed to be laughing. "I assure you, this is a monster Inuyasha alone can handle. Just watch."

"Nasty bug!" In a blur of red and white, Inuyasha zipped overhead and under the scorpion's defenses. The giant sword gleaming like a fang in his grip, the dog-demon cried out words that echoed far and wide. "Wind Scar!"

Right down the middle, the scorpion was split in two, its guts spraying in all directions.

"Ewww!" Jack and Annie grimaced in unison as an especially meaty chunk dropped at their feet.

"Whoa! Careful!" Sango warned, guiding them away from the piece. "These remains can still infect if you're not wary."

Kagome suddenly ran up to the pulsating scorpion flesh.

"Hey!" Jack called. "Didn't you hear her? It's dangerous!"

"It's okay," Sango said. "Kagome's special. She can purify the demon."

"Huh?" Now even Annie was confused.

At Kagome's touch, the flesh melted in the encasing skeleton and a small crystal fell out. "There we go," she beamed. "These are Shikon Jewel shards and when a demon possesses them they get really powerful for a bit, but quickly lose total control of themselves."

"Do people go searching for these shards?" Jack asked.

"Unfortunately, all the time," Kagome answered.

Something occurred to Annie and she asked, "Do demons fight for them?"

"Yup," Inuyasha replied, putting away his sword. "I do."

"It's a formidable strength that conquers all," Miroku added.

"So you would call it a small treasure?" Jack concluded.

"Yes, why not?" Sango finished.

"Jack, what are getting…?"

Holding up a hand to Annie, Jack stared unflinchingly at the group. "Then we need to take that shard."

Without batting an eye, Inuyasha drew his blade again. "Just try."


	6. Now What?

**Now What?**

"Jack, what are you doing?" Annie's voice pitched high with concern.

Jack answered, but his eyes stayed on Inuyasha. "Do you want to get back home?"

"Well…yeah…but this doesn't seem like the way to –"

"That jewel shard is it. Men seek it, demons fight it, and it's got tremendous power. That's our treasure and we're taking it!"

Without another word, Jack ran headlong at Kagome, ignoring the half-demon that stepped in his way. But before Inuyasha could cuff him, the boy felt his feet being suddenly dragged out from under him. He fell to the ground with a light thud.

"Boys," Sango clucked, reeling in her catch with a weighted chain. Annie stared; she hadn't seen Sango carrying that when she arrived.

Her brows knit together, Kagome knelt to Jack's eyelevel, the shard cupped in her palm. "So you need this to get home? Why didn't you just say so? I'll come with you, then just return here. No big deal."

"Yeah, quit acting like a baby," Shippo chimed in.

Jack sat up, trying to wriggle out of the chain. "But we've never taken anyone back with us." He kicked off the rest of the links and scrambled to his feet. "And I don't see the tree house anywhere so long as you guys are holding the fragment."

"Let me hang on to it, then," Annie suggested. "Maybe it needs one of us to hold it. And I promise not to run away," she added, glaring at her brother.

Kagome looked doubtful and Inuyasha snorted, but finally the shard was placed gently into Annie's hand.

She looked over her shoulder. No tree house in sight. She walked a few steps close in the direction they'd come, Inuyasha's group close behind. "I don't see it."

"All right, give it back," Inuyasha ordered.

With an unhappy little frown, Annie stepped forward to obey. That became impossible when a giant set of claws clamped down on her shoulders. Annie screamed, clenching on to the shard tighter, as grossly disfigured and ridiculously oversized crow lifted her high into the air.

"Annie!" Jack grabbed his sister's legs, but it didn't help weigh the bird monster down. It flew away quickly, threatening to fling off Jack with every powerful flap of its molting wings.

Inuyasha cursed, Kagome dashed to grab a bow and arrows, but it was Sango who flung her giant boomerang with a battle cry.

"_Hiraikotsu!_"

The weapon buzzed over the bird's head, grazing a few feathers. The returning arch would have nailed it for sure, but the demon acted unexpectedly; at the last second, it enfolded its wings and let itself drop, mere inches below the boomerang's deathline.

"Kirara!" Sango called to her pet. Her fear on hold, Annie watched in awe as instantly the kitten exploded in a burst of flame into a humongous saber-toothed cat. The boomerang in one hand, both Sango and Miroku climbed aboard the furry back and Kirara took off after the flapping target.

"Kagome, fire!" Inuyasha called from somewhere below. An arrow whizzed Jack saw sizzling feathers breeze past his arm. He prayed the next shot would hit.

Suddenly, the bird swung around, facing its pursuers. Cawing, it opened its beak and a rancid odor spewed out. Kirara growled, closing her eyes and trying not to buck out of control. With his sensitive dog nose under attack, Inuyasha collapsed into a coughing fit. Easily, the crow monster circled over and flew back on course.

Now hundreds of feet overhead, Jack and Annie called futilely for help. Maybe it was all the wildlife shows he saw on TV, but Jack had the terrible suspicion they were being carried off for lunch, probably for this thing's chicks. And that, worse than the bird's breath, did not sit well with Jack.


	7. New Perils

**New Perils**

Annie was never very good at tying her shoes. Last summer, she tied them only once and just slipped her feet in and out from under the bowed laces until one or both came undone. Either way, her sneakers were not what anyone would call the most secure in the world. But Jack hadn't cared.

Until now.

"Annie!" he hollered up. "Your stupid shoe is sliding off! If I die, it's your fault for never letting me teach you how to do an overhand knot!"

Gritting her teeth and trying not to swing her leg in a tantrum, Annie shouted back, "It's not my fault we're in this mess in the first place!"

"Yeah, it is! You and that stupid tree house!"

"No! If you hadn't been so rude to Kagome and Inuyasha, we'd be fine. You always doubt other people's kindness because you're a 'fraidy cat yourself! So don't blame me for your – "

Her tirade was cut short when the crow demon unexpectedly teetered. A bolt of blue lightening cracked loud and clear in the cloudless sky, singeing a great black wing. The bird bucked and squawked in pain. Curling its wings in, it prepared to drop out of harm's way like before. But the lightening was quicker. When the bolts scorched the air again, they seared the bird's back. Her captor incinerated in one blast, Annie felt the talons around either arm go slack.

_We're free!_

"We're falling!" Jack screamed as they plummeting back down with the demon's carcass.

The drop was much shorter than they anticipated. Annie scarcely had to brace for the impact when she jostled on to something soft and solid. And scaly.

Someone was laughing at her. "You can open your eyes. It's okay!"

Annie peeked and saw a girl, just about her age, grinning back. "See? You're fine." She turned around and pointed. "And so is he."

Craning her neck to see around her little heroine, Annie saw a startled but obviously safe Jack digging his fingers into the saddle of… "What are we riding?"

"This is Ah-Un!" the girl beamed, patting the brown scaled hide.

Still perplexed, Annie turned around and realized she'd landed backwards on the creature. Or actually, _creatures_. Twin dragon heads swiveled to glance at her. One was muzzled, while little sparks of lightening danced around the other's mouth.

"Thank you both!" Annie smiled at them, scratching their coarse manes vigorously in hopes they recognized her appreciation. After that she became aware of just how high up they were. The girl noticed how frantically Ah-Un's new passenger readjusted her grip on the sides of the saddle in front of her.

"It's all right," she soothed. "Ah-Un won't drop you. Isn't that right?"

The dragon bellowed softly in both throats. Annie giggled.

Jack grumbled something about strange little girls who talked to dragons, but his chauffer didn't seem to notice.

"I'm Rin, by the way. Who are you? Are you from Lady Kagome's era?"

"Annie, Jack," Annie pointed from herself to her brother. "Yes, we're from Kagome's time. I guess you know her. Please tell her I'm sorry for what happened!" Another thought occurred to Annie. "Actually, could you take us over there? Back to Inuyasha and the rest?"

Rin chewed her lip. "I would, but I don't know where – "

"Annie, no," Jack grunted, squirming to sit upright. "We have to use that shard to get home."

"But we can't go back using something we stole! Maybe that's why we haven't found the tree house yet!" she argued.

"Hold on!" Rin said.

"What now?" Jack snapped.

Then, as Ah-Un dipped into a nosedive, Jack and Annie realized their pilot literally meant to_ hold on_. Shouting above the rushing winds and still smiling, Rin added, "I don't know where you guys came from, but I know someone who could help you. If anyone knows everything, it's Lord Sesshomaru!"


	8. High Hopes, Crash Landing

**High Hopes, Crash Landing**

Flowers swayed in the breeze while the lilting notes of a thrush praised the sunshine. The open field was bright and peaceful.

Jack and Annie's landing wasn't.

Ah-Un didn't ease into a gradual stop, it didn't even skid. The dragon just came to a dead halt, throwing its unaccustomed passengers head over feet. Unaffected, Rin lightly hopped from the saddle.

"Are you all right, Jack?"

Even though all he could see were Rin's toes curling worriedly in the grass, Jack was loud enough for her to hear his, "I've felt better."

"I landed on something soft again!" Annie called.

"Well, I am not a landing pad!" squawked a voice underneath the seat of her khaki shorts.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Annie apologized. "Are you okay…Mr…ah, Toad?"

Jack fixed his glasses. "Heh, he looks kind of like Jiminy Cricket."

"I am called Jaken!" The small, toad-like imp brushed off his brown robes in a huff. "And I don't appreciate being a cushion for idiotic, human children."

"Don't worry," Rin whispered even though she knew Jaken would hear. "He's used to it. Lord Sesshomaru is always giving him worse. You're nothing."

"Insolent girl!" Jaken snapped. "You better watch your tongue or I'll see that Lord Sesshomaru gives you your dues, too!"

Rin smiled knowing Sesshomaru hardly reprimanded her beyond a stern look of disapproval, but for Jaken's sake she switched the subject. "Say, where is Lord Sesshomaru, anyway?"

"His orders were to stay put and wait for you," the imp glowered, sounding as if it were entirely Rin's fault he wasn't permitted to travel with Sesshomaru.

"Um, excuse me," Annie politely interjected. "But who is this Ses—sha—sa…" she stumbled over the name.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken corrected, and Jack noticed the imp was using a tone like Annie's last teacher whenever a particularly treasured story was told. "Lord Sesshomaru is the mightiest of demons in these lands and perhaps this very world. He is a _daiyokai_, not someone to be trifled with. Why I know times when he slew a hundred foes single-handedly!"

"He still does," Rin pointed out and shook her colorful left sleeve emphatically.

Jack tilted his head. "He only has one arm? How'd that happen? Sounds like your mighty lord lost a fight."

"Stupid boy!" Jaken raged. "Lord Sesshomaru has never lost a battle! And his skills have not waned since that one bout with his wretched half-brother, Inuyasha!"

"Wow! He's Inuyasha's brother?" Annie marveled.

"Yes, and if he had the cur's fabled Tetsusaiga, Lord Sesshomaru would realize his dreams of supreme conquest much more quickly. At this rate, it'll take a good century to establish an empire, even for Lord Sesshomaru. It may take longer, especially with the worthless Tenseiga at his –AWK!"

A heavy iron-clad boot crushed Jaken into the ground afresh. Annie followed the black boot up to a billowing, white pantleg, then an encasing barricade of armor with protruding spikes on the front and the set arching over a shoulder that snarled, "Don't touch me." It was literally a sharp contrast to the rich, inviting fur draped over the opposite shoulder. But Annie's eyes stopped on the golden gaze. Where Inuyasha's blazed a challenge, these eyes froze all defiance stone cold. The strange markings decorating Sesshomaru's face, an azure crescent moon and a pair of magenta stripes on either cheek, only drew more attention to his piercing stare.

"Hi," Annie piped. "Can you help us?"

The great demon overlooked her and Jack. "Rin, who are these strange children?"

"Jack and Annie say they're trying to get back home, they're from the same time as Lady Kagome, but they didn't use the well to get here, something about a tree house, can we help them?" Jack gaped in awe at how Rin spewed out the entire story without once pausing for breath. He looked hopefully at Sesshomaru.

The demon tilted his head and crinkled his nose. "No."

Annie immediately stepped forward. "What do you mean 'no'? Why can't you help us?"

Unfazed, Sesshomaru idly reached between his robes and withdrew a small stack of very fine paper. He plucked single sheet and handed it to Jaken.

The little yokai seemed befuddled by the motion until Rin raced up. "Oh! Master Jaken! Please show me! C'mon, you said you would!"

"What? Brat, I'm not some court jester whose only occupation is to amuse you!"

While the two quibbled, Jack and Annie exchanged a look. Their newest friend was easily distracted and, looking around, it seemed Sesshomaru had slipped off without a trace. Now they weren't just waiting and lost, they were plain stuck.


	9. Tomodachi

**Tomodachi**

Annie couldn't believe their rotten luck. Their adventures through the tree house had never gone this badly before. So far, they'd been nearly killed twice, separated from who they thought was the hero – Kagome flickered in Annie's mind – and now dropped into the care of someone with no intention of helping them. Rin seemed totally enraptured with whatever business with the paper Jaken had to show her.

"Hey, you guys," Rin called over her shoulder. "Come watch this."

Annie shrugged at her sibling and Jack trudged behind. "What's he doing?" she asked as Jaken folded the paper quickly with deliberate creases the human eye couldn't follow.

"Slow down, Master Jaken!" Rin pleaded. "We can't see what you're doing."

"Dolt," he grumbled, though not without a trace of arrogance. "The secrets of yokai aren't meant to be revealed." He puffed into the paper, tugged once on either side and presented what looked like a small paper crane, its wings sticking out with perfect symmetry.

"Origami," Rin pronounced, holding up the fine work of craftsmanship, "is the art of folding paper into different shapes without ripping it up. See?"

Annie's mouth made a silent "o," but Jack just rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for toys," he reminded his sister.

"Yeah, but look how beautiful it is!" Annie cupped the little crane in her palms, gently stroking its head with one finger.

Rin smiled brightly. "You can keep it if you like it."

"Really?" Annie hugged it to her chest. "Thank you!"

"Hey! You better not pester me for a new one!" Jaken hopped to his squat feet. "I didn't make that thing so you could just give it away!"

"It's fine." Rin pressed the origami into Annie's hands. "Cranes are symbols of friendship and even when you do go you can keep this with you to remember your adventures here."

"Definitely!" Annie grinned at Jack who looked like he'd rather not remember anything.

"And it'll be extra special," Rin added. "Not too many people can say they've gotten a gift from Sesshomaru."

Annie blinked as Jaken voiced her question. "How is that crane a gift from Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Well, it's from all of us, really," Rin giggled. "Lord Sesshomaru brought the paper, you, Master Jaken, made the crane, and I gave it to Jack and Annie. So we're all friends!"

"Don't drag the master and me down to your level!" the imp fumed, though he didn't fuss too much when Annie stooped to embrace him a grateful hug.

"Thank you!"

"Get. OFF."

Rin laughed and even Jack cracked a smile.

Their laughter reminded Annie of something. "Hey, that guy, Sesshomaru –"

"_Lord_ Sesshomaru," Jaken corrected with a huff.

"Lord Sesshomaru, doesn't speak much, does he?"

"Lord Sesshomaru doesn't talk much to strangers," Rin admitted. "You're lucky if you can get three words out of him."

"Bet I can!" Annie challenged.

Rin laughed harder and Jaken scoffed at the idea.

"Okay, seriously," Annie said. "We need to find our way back – "

The crack of smashing trees and thunder of rumbling earth, stopped Annie in mid-sentence. A gigantic bear, if that's what it could be called, lumbered out of the trees. Its back inlaid with boulders and shrubs bigger than cars, the monster could have passed for a mountain. But all the jagged teeth dripping ropes of saliva sort of ruined the effect.

"**_Hungry!_**" it roared. "**_Hungry for power!_**"

_Power?_ Jack wondered, then he remembered. "Annie, it wants the jewel!"

"Jewel?" Jaken sputtered. "You twits have a Shikon shard?!"

Ah-Un moved to the frontlines of defense, but its fired lightning blast was harmlessly absorbed by the ground-based bear.

"Brute!" Jaken expertly spun his little staff and one of the eerie heads atop it spouted a fiery blaze.

The earth demon roared and jus the wind alone snuffed the flames.

"Run!" Jack pulled Annie after him.

She lagged to point at a comet that whizzed overhead. "Look!"

The comet broke to reveal Sesshomaru, his sword drawn and his face taunt. In a blur of steel and silver, Sesshomaru's blade arced between him and the bear. The beast groaned, backpedaling toward the forest. Sesshomaru didn't let it get so far. Raising his sword parallel to the ground, he pointed at the bear and the blade released one powerful shot of pure energy. The blast entered neatly and exploded behind the forest demon in a million brilliant holes. Crumbling earth and charred brush were all that remained of Sesshomaru's short work.

Replacing the sword at his side, the dog-demon turned to his troop. "Rin, give me their jewel shard," he ordered.

The little girl looked at Annie, smiling gently. "Don't worry, he probably just wants to see it."

"But how'd he know…?"

Rin's hand waited expectantly. Shikon in hand, she hustled over to the daiyokai.

Sesshomaru took the shard, delicately holding it between the claws of his thumb and forefinger. "I know where this must go."

"Wait!" Jack protested and Sesshomaru stunned him with a glare.

"I mean…" Jack looked at his feet, vaguely wondering why he felt like he was the one doing something bad. "We need that shard…to get home…please?" He dug into his pockets and pulled out the poem. "Here. It says so right there."

"Jaken," Sesshomaru said. "Review it."

Swiping the slip from Jack's fingers, the imp read aloud:

_"Find a small treasure._

_Men seek it, demons fight it. _

_Its strength conquers all."_

He snorted. "Not one mention of the Sacred Jewel, my lord!" Jaken reported.

"But it answers everything!" Jack argued. "We need it to find the—"

Claw-tipped fingers grazed the boy's chin, tilting his head upward. Jack froze at the strange menace concealed in the gentle touch. Then he paid attention to where the owner was looking. Jack followed Sesshomaru's line of vision. _There_. Just some yards in one of the elms that edged the meadow…

"It's the tree house!" he cried.

Annie took a step back in wonder. "How?"

Sesshomaru handed her the poem…before tugging on the paper crane Rin had given her.

"Hey, I get it!" She beamed.

Rin leaned over her friend's shoulder. "Get what?"

"'Find a small treasure' – so, something of value. And 'men seek it,' while demons, like Jaken" – she snickered – "fight it. 'Its strength conquers all'…Rin, it was your friends – Ah-Un, Jaken, and Sesshomaru – who protected us and if it weren't for you, Jack and I would still be stuck here. The answer to the poem is friendship! Your paper crane is a symbol of friendship! That's why the tree house came back!" Annie squeezed Rin tightly. "Thank you!"

When Rin pulled away she looked a little sad. "So you're leaving?"

"Well, we do have to go. It's September and school starts soon." She held the crane up. "But I'll always remember."

"We'd better go," Jack said.

"I agree," Jaken voiced.

"Okay, okay, wait." Annie smiled up at Sesshomaru. "Rin said you don't talk a lot, is that true?"

Sesshomaru stared dully ahead.

"Well, I bet her I could get at least three words out of you before we leave."

The stately demon arched an eyebrow. Then looked back to the horizon. "You lose."

"Come on, Annie," Jack said, tugging at her wrist. "Let's go."

"Bye, Rin! It was nice meeting you!" She kept waving until they'd climb up the old rope ladder and into the tree house.

Waiting right in the middle of the planked floor was a book opened to a picture of Frog Creek. Laying the paper crane on the page, Annie huffed softly, then pointed. "I wish we could go there."

The wind started to blow.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

--

_A/N: Even though I'm not writing at the appropriate time in the story, I was really tempted to give Byakuya a cameo._ :P

_One more chapter to go!_


	10. Home

Home

Frog Creek had never looked so beautiful…and drab.

Annie sighed. She was starting to understand her brother's disappointment. It wasn't fair. She looked over at Jack, expecting him to grumble about finally being home.

He smiled and handed her the book they'd just traveled through. "You can always check it out."

Annie bit her lip and grinned against the tears. "Yeah, and I've got the perfect bookmark!"

Slipping the paper crane between the pages, she got up and climbed down the tree house's rope ladder. "Come on, Jack! Or we'll be late for school."

Jack took a minute more to stare at the books. Like always, no time had passed during their adventures. He wouldn't be that late if he stayed just a little longer. It was, after all, only the start of another school year, another year closer to graduating and going to middle school soon. He knew this was the last of their magical travels, but only the first of many frontiers. Then he thought of the crane in Annie's book.

_Maybe some friends along the way won't make it so hard._

"Jack! Slowpoke!"

"Coming!" he shouted back.

_Oh well, better go. It's not going to happen anymore anyway. _

His thoughts cleared, he climbed out. But when he reached the ground, Jack caught himself wondering where Kagome's well was and if it was anything like the magic tree house.

--

_A/N: I was surprised to find that many of the people reviewing this fanfic were not familiar with _The Magic Tree House_ series. I hope the characters came across neatly and that the plot flowed at an even pace. Thank you all for reading this odd little chapter story curdled from a childhood memory._


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